Many women in United States become pregnant each year. Unfortunately many of them as well debates whether or not they should have an abortion, due to the fact that their pregnancies were not planned. The legalization of the abortion was the best decision for all women in United States. Many people do not see the cause and effect of not being able to have an abortion.

Abortion is defined as: â€œThe termination of a pregnancy after accompanied by resulting or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetusâ€ (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2006-2007). The abortion law has always been controversial. There are many issues regarding the abortion. Many years back then when abortion was not legal, it was still an issue. Many women used to seek for alternative home remedies risking their life. Honestly consuming herbs to have an abortion can be as well deadly. In countries where abortion is not legal, the abortion rate is also very high. According to Sister Zeus, women have used herbs since the beginning of time in attempts to control their fertility. The information was passed from mother to daughter, midwives and wise woman all possessed this knowledge. Starting in the 1300â€™s on up through the 1800â€™s possessing the knowledge of which herbs caused a woman to abort/miscarry became very dangerous, if discovered a woman would be accused of being a witch and torture to death. Over time those who knew how to safely and effectively use these herbs were murdered or frightened into silence, terror, which persisted for about 500 years. â€œIn Roe V. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), the U.S. supreme court determine that the constitution protects a womanâ€™s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy. In a companion case, Doe

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V. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179 (1973), the court held further that a state may not unduly burden a womanâ€™s fundamental right to abortion by prohibiting or substantially limiting access to the means of effectuating her decision. Rather than settle the issue, the courtâ€™s decision kindled heated debate and precipitated a variety of governmental actions at the national, state and local levels designed either to nullify the rulings or hinder their function. These governmental regulations have, in turn, spawned further litigation in which resulting judicial refinements in the law have been no more successful in dampening the controversyâ€ (Lewis J. & Shimabukuro, J. O., 2001).

No one has the right to decide what we want to do with our own body or even our life. Those who refute abortion claim that it is the murder of a helpless baby who hasnâ€™t yet had the chance to live and function as a human being. However, the debate opposite it is just as fervent; it is a womanâ€™s right to chose what happens to her body, and if she decides that is not capable of bringing a child into this world, then she shouldnâ€™t be forced to out of nature. â€œIn South Dakota, however the terms of the debate have shifted. This state is currently at the heart of the U.S. abortion wars as residents prepare for a 7 November ballot that will determine whether a ban signed into law in March 15 upheld. The ban criminalizes all abortions. A poll in June found 47 percent of South Dakotans opposed the ban, while 39 percent supported it; following avid campaigning, however, another poll last month found that while 47 percent still opposed the ban, 44 percent were now in favorâ€ (Cochrane, 2006). According to Cochrane these new arguments completely dehumanize women; in other words anti-abortion activists reduce women to non-beings, which I totally agree with. Many things had been said about the abortion

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law, but no one thinks about the effect of not being able to have an abortion. People still donâ€™t realize that we are living in the 21st century and that women will do what ever it takes to have an abortion. Abortion has many risks, but it is ones responsibility to take that risk. The RU-486 abortion method is one of those risks. â€œRU-486 is actually a two-drug abortion technique: The first drug is RU-486 itself, known generically as mifepristone, and the second is a prostaglandin, known by the generic name misoprostol. RU-486 only â€œworksâ€ in a confirmed pregnancy and is only approved for use by the FDA in pregnancies up to 49 days or seven weeks. RU-486 acts by blocking progesterone; as a result of this blockage the womanâ€™s body fails to recognize that she is pregnant, and it turn causes the death of her unborn child by cutting off the critical supply of nutrients needed by the developing baby. According to FDA protocols the second drug-the prostaglandin misoprostol is supposed to be given to the woman orally. Its action is to cause uterine contractions that expel the now-dead babyâ€ (Echevarria, 2006). Also according to Echevarria five women died of deadly bacterial infections following RU-486 abortions. I believe every surgical procedure and every drug you take have side effects and risks, so people often uses this tactics to scare women and to convince everyone that abortion is not right. No matter how risky this drug is women still use it to abort their babies, so just imagine if this method was not legal in United States.

According to The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, In United States there is 1.37 million abortions, which is approximately 3,700 abortions per day. Also about 26 million women obtain legal abortion each year, while an additional 20 million abortions are obtained in countries where it is restricted or prohibited by law. 78 percent of all abortions are

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obtained in developing countries and 22 percent occurs in developed countries. As you can see abortion statistics shows that abortions rates are still very high, whether or not is legal.

Two main reasons why women in United States have abortions are either because they are not financially stable or age. Money has always been the reason why a lot of women have abortions. Now this day is very hard to have more than two kids if your financial status is not ok. I am personally experiencing this issue. My son is eight years old and he is the only child. Reason why I havenâ€™t decided on having more kids is because I donâ€™t think my income would be enough to support another child. One of the main problems in United States or at least here in California is the cost of day care, and this is exactly why I am afraid of having another child. In California day cares are very expensive, you would approximately pay over $500.00 every month. Why bringing a child into this world, when you canâ€™t even support. â€œWomen with family incomes less than $15,000 obtain 28.7% of all abortions; Women with family incomes between $15,000 and $19,999 obtain 19.5%; Women with family incomes between $30,000 an $59,999 obtain 38.0%; Women with family incomes over $60,000 obtain 13.8%â€ (The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, 2003). Also age is another issue, many young girls are

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having un-protected sex and become pregnant each year in United States. Many parents makes the mistake and do not encourage their daughters to protect themselves, due to the fact that they donâ€™t like to face the reality; they often think that this would not happen to their daughter. Instead of criticizing abortion, parents should be open-minded and talk to their daughters at early age about prevention; this will only be the way of minimizing the abortion rates. â€œIn United States 52 percent of women obtaining abortions are younger than 25: Women aged 20-24 obtain 32 percent of all abortions; Teenagers obtain 20 percent and girls under 15 account for 1.2 percentâ€ (The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, 2003).

Every woman should take responsibility for their own actions, but not all the times pregnancy is part of our goals. A baby can sometimes disrupt a woman pursuit of happiness, even if she decides to give it up for adoption, she still has the burden of carrying the fetus for nine months. I believe no woman will ever be happy knowing that she gave her own child for adoption. I personally use to work with foster kids and the majority of those kids have an unhappy life. Unfortunately being realistic only a small percentage of those kids get an education and have a stable home. Most of those kids end up on the streets and become violent individuals due to the lack of attention or love, which could be very dangerous to our communities. As a mother I honestly could not live happy knowing that I gave away my own child and that because of my actions my child is probably suffering, or not only suffering but living with the wonder of where my child would be. Why bringing a child into this world and then give him up like if he was a toy when abortion is available. Honestly a child will appreciate more not to be born,

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rather than to live with someone who will probably would not provide him or her a nice life. An unwanted child also suffers. â€œAn unwanted child can also remain unwanted and uncared for, though and both adoption and abortion can result in life long sadnessâ€ (Kissling, 2006). There are other instances where people feel that abortion is justified; rape, it seems unfair to most pro-choice advocates, and many women in general, that a woman be forced to have a baby that was conceived out of rape. It seems that every time the mother were to look upon her child, he or she would be a constant reminder of the horrible act that brought that child into this world.

I am not in favor or opposed to abortion, but I believe it is a womanâ€™s responsibility to decide whether or not to have a child. The abortion debates is filled with gray areas, the interpretation that one chooses to understand those gray areas with is what other will ultimately answer their own personal questions about the morality (or Immorality) of abortion. â€œItâ€™s important that we continue making the argument as strongly as possible-that women have a right to choose safe, legal abortions, whatever their circumstances. Otherwise we jeopardize something wider than our access to abortion: our right to make our own decisions and control our own bodies. We jeopardize, in fact a womanâ€™s right to be a sentient human beingâ€ (Cochrane, 2006). The abortion had always been an issue for the United States and for the rest of the world and it will always be; the difference is that now at least in some states in United States is legal. Not only the legalization of the abortion retain women constitutional rights, but it will also safe a lot of women from seeking other alternative methods to abort their child,

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which could dangerously kill themselves. On these grounds, abortion should be kept legal for the benefit to all of us.